Minimally invasive surgery is the desired approach to reduce scarring, improve cosmesis, lessen postoperative pain, limit potential for infection, and promote faster recovery. Minimally invasive approaches have become the standard of care since laparoscopic cholecystectomy was introduced in the 1990s.
Traditional open techniques for certain surgical procedures, such as vascular access via arteriovenous fistulas for dialysis and/or fasciotomy, create long and/or multiple incisions and disfiguring scars. These open techniques place patients at high risk for infections, bleeding, painful surgical sites, poor wound healing, and/or functional impairment.
Thus, improved, minimally invasive endoscopic methods for arteriovenous fistula and/or fasciotomy surgeries, and improved surgical instrumentation for performance of those and other minimally invasive procedures, are needed.